Funny Mellow Pony

Here are photos and video of Renny and Kelsey taken in early July 2011.  This Fall when he returned from Quicksilver Farm, I was chatting with out barn friend, Gay, and she said that if she had a horse with Shorty's body and Renny's mind, she would show up and down the country and win everywhere.  It was such a wonderful kind compliment.  Everyone comments all the time about his great spirit and mellow work ethic.  He is truly a gem in that regard!

Renny's Post-Training Jumping Skills

I"m writing this entry on November 23rd, the day before Thanksgiving.  Renny has been home three weeks from Quicksilver Farm and I've ridden him 9 times.  The past week or so, I've felt very shaky because it's the week that Hailee was betrayed and then rescued and the week my beloved Uncle Carlo died.  So, I want to report about my wonderful pony.  This week on Monday, the day after returning from my Uncle's services, I had a great riding lesson with my little guy.  He was sensible wonderful.  His gaits were long and powerful.  His canter was sweet balanced forward and reaching.  And we jumped our first course since his return!  We jumped a course which had an outside line, two diagonals, and a one-stride in- and out.  He was just terrific and straightforward and easy.  And he got most of his leads or was happy to break down and make a simple change.  And he was happy to be picked up coming off the jumps or tweaked going into them.  He was just a plain old good boy.  It felt so good to ride him.  I'm blessed.

A New Year!

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Here are July photos and video of Kelsey training little Renny.  I am writing this entry on November 23, 2011.  It's a beautiful Fall day.  The sun is low in a clear blue pale sky.  The neighborhood crows just alighted from a tall tree near my office window.  Thelma and Louise are eating tomatoes for an afternoon snack.  My pets are sleeping in bed.  I have a beautiful flower arrangement before me from Uncle Carlo's funeral.  And I spent a productive day balancing my checkbook, paying bills, writing thank you and condolence notes, and resting.  And I am grateful.  Grateful beyond measure.  Because a year ago today I received a letter from a good samaritan who saved Hailee from a livestock auction.  I will never forget receiving that letter and feeling so shaken to my very soul that my beautiful mare was not safe.  I was so upset that I had put Hailee in the hands of a careless coward and a cruel sadist.  But a good samaritan not only rescued her, but went the extra mile of writing me a letter and befriending me.  Hailee didn't disappear from my life and I was even able to visit her.

And even better, over this past year, I've learned so much and benefitted from friendships and family.  Lex came to my home and cared for me and my herd.  Lillian became a special Aunt to Renny and friend to me.  Lisa picked me up at the airport in Atlanta and set off my weekend adventure with good spirits and fellowship.  Paula was a kind person who befriended me, showed me her art which included a painting of Hailee, and wrote me a letter saying she'd be a friend.  My mom and dad who said that I needed to go see Hailee and make sure all was well.  Danielle and Elena who were quite happy to simply believe that the coward and sadist were just plain awful. 

I learned so much about how love is like grass -- it can break through concrete.  I'm glad the year has passed.  It took me most of this year to finally put down my anger and hurt -- I still have some white hot flashes of those emotions. But even with some of those ghost emotions lingering, I can see that my life is rich with friendships, kindnesses, and good samaritans.  And that is why I think of today as a special day to celebrate G*d's grace and Good Samaritans. 

My Fellas

Here are March 2011 photos of my bossy happy fellas.  They run my house with care and panache!  Namaste!

Fresh Garden in May

Here's a photo of Zelia in my garden in very early May, soon after we got the soil ready.  I'm writing this on Halloween and the garden is absolutely a chaos of plants, weeds, and the detritus of an active summer!  I'm so glad I got to pass another wonderful gardening season with Zelia Bedelia!

Team Renegade Chills While First Jumping

Here's a little photo from May 10, 2011 when Renny was 3 years old plus one week.  He was in his very first jumping lesson and he was just relaxing and enjoying time with Grams.  Team Renegade is a rocking happy loving team!

A Happy Summer Hack

Here I am with my fabulous wonderful pony.  It's a photo from June 2011 and I'm about to mount Renny and ride in the dusk with my fabulous boy!

True Hunter Pony Beauty!

Here are some photos of Renny, relaxing and working sensibly in his first schooling session at Hunters Run.  He knows that he's a special talented young pony and he's so glad to have Kelsey with him! 

Renny's Fan Club and First Ribbon!

Here is Renny seconds after winning his first ribbon in his very first class, receiving love from a group of beautiful kind girls . He is soaking up the love!

My Beautiful Show Pony in a Schooling Session at Hunters Run

These photos and video are from late July when my pony was at his first rated horse show and he was in a schooling session with the quiet lovely sensible talented Kelsey.  He was happy to be on an adventure and happy to be pleasing his Grama and friend.  I just love him.  I'm writing this entry on Monday, October 31st.  And I'm thrilled to say that in the middle of the week, Renny is coming home!!  I'm picking him up from his two months of training. 

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 6

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 6

Welcome to our weekly Monday Videocast, Equine Travels with Laura!  This week Laura discusses a lovely quiet winter weekend of riding Renny and Violet, and offers some advice about cold snakes and bad pennies!  Listen in!

Professionalism on Day 3!

Here's my relaxed, unconcerned, talented boy, putting in a good day's work at his very competition at Hunters Run in July 2011!  Here he is, giving his best at his 3rd day of being at an irritatingly hot show where his stall is facing a wall.  He was mad about the stall, but here he is, giving his best.  He is relaxed with his good friend!!  Love my boy!

Handsome Relaxed Show Pony!

A joyful July, but simmering hot weekend!  Namaste.

A Day to Remember!

Here's my handsome boy at Hunters Run in July 2011, stretching out and relaxing, after pleasing his friend and Grama by winning in both of his classes, including snatching a first and a very super respectable 4th out of 17!!!  Look at my tired hard-working fella!

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 5

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 5

Welcome to our weekly video cast of Booksmart Equestrian!  In today's episode, Laura discusses trying to develop the discipline to write creative nonfiction!  Listen in!

My Sanctuaries

Here are my sanctuaries -- my barn and my bedroom.

Renny's Last Summer Weekend before College

Here are some photos of Renny taken in late August, during his last summer before leaving for college.  He had just taken a bath after a workout.  such a handsome sweetie pie!  I'm writing this entry on Monday, October 24th and I miss him quite a bit now.

My Peaceful Place

Namaste.

Quiet Zen Moment with Renny

Namaste.

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 5

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 5

Welcome to Equine Travels with Laura, a weekly Videocast about Laura's many horse adventures. In this week's episode, Laura discusses Renny's very first few weeks of jumping!  Such a good boy!  Listen in!

My Sweet Boy!



Here are photos and a video taken in mid-August, during the girls' last riding session with my herd.  It was a beautiful magical day.  And as usual, my little guy was a real trooper! 

My Beautiful Girl and Her Daddy!

Here's a late June set of photos of my girl, relaxing after a riding lesson.  I just love her.  This summer I discovered that her father, Groomstick, passed away in February 2009.  I feel blessed to have her as a member of my family.  

Jumping Bigger, Feeling Smaller!

So, Violet and I have had some unusual sessions lately.  We showed in October and we have been doing so much better at dressage and jumping.  And though she and I sometimes get into some struggles, we mainly have just been working hard at enjoying getting better!  So, for example, last week, Violet and I just picked up the pace of our lessons -- we move out at the trot with greater energy and we work from our rear end much more.  And we don't complain when we're asked to jump 2'6".  We just work!  But in my heart, I'm getting a little bit more nervous even as we are progressing.  I can feel a mist of fear coming over me.  I feel a bit frozen on her and I don't feel like I'm following her motion well or releasing her enough or even knowing how to drive her and pace her to jumps.  So, we are in one of those funny little breakthrough moments where you move forward several steps and also move back!!  But we're loving being a team together as we sort it out!

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 4

Booksmart Equestrian! Episode 4

Welcome to Booksmart Equestrian, a Friday video cast about interesting reads!  Today Laura discusses important reading material that can be found on the United States Equestrian Federation webpage, as well as her own plans to write a fictional account of what she's learned from life in the herd!  Listen in!

Violet's Dressage Elegance

Here are mid-August photos and video from the last riding session the girls had on my horses before returning to college.  You can see my happy relaxed herd, just walking along with those sweet young women.  I have to say, I am super proud of my horses.  They are intelligent, generous, kind, hard-working.  And Violet has become softer and softer now that she knows that she's suppposed to work at carrying herself, and be round and  balanced.  I just love these creatures!  This past summer, we purchased a dressage saddle and just love it!

Renny's Sendoff and Return Home!

Here are photos from our last riding lesson together in late August.  My darling Renny was getting ready to go to college and learn his lead changes and how to jump courses and complicated fences.  And he was about to improve his trots and canter.  But on this evening, he was happy to be with his Grama, working quietly and sweetly and making her proud.  He'll be coming home in about 9 days.  I can't wait!

Uncle Carlo and Violet

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Here's early June photo and video of my darling Violet.  I'm writing this entry on Monday, October 24th, after a weekend with family in Ann Arbor.  It's a sad time for my family.  My Uncle Carlo has a blockage and hasn't been able to eat for a week and the doctors don't feel that they'll be able to help him clear the blockage. They can't start him on medicine for his cancer and he can't eat, so they are preparing our family for hospice time.  As these events unfold, my strength does happen to be Violet.  She's a generous, loving, goofy creature who is trying very hard to be a good girl and please me when we ride.  We've been jumping higher and more complicated courses, and she's happy to oblige.  She's been working hard at giving her face and being a lighter better balanced dressage horse.  And she's wonderful to socialize with. So, for example, yesterday, before I drove up to the Hospital to spend a Sunday with family, I stopped off to visit Violet and give her some treats and fit her new raincoat.  She had apple snaps, peppermints, biscuits, and carrots, and she seemed to genuinely like relaxing while she got her new coat fitted.  She's so charming.  I just love her.  It was a wonderful way to spend a morning before I visited my Uncle.  And it put me in a better frame of mind.  And so, many wonderful things happened during my visit with Uncle Carlo, but one of them was mom and Aunt Mary Jane helping me roll skeins of yarn into balls to ready myself for knitting Danielle's afghan.

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 4

Equine Travels with Laura! Episode 4

Welcome to today's Videocast of Equine Travels with Laura!  In today's episode, Laura discusses when Hailee and Renny travelled to Michigan to go to their Inspection for the North American Sport Pony Registry (NASPR).  Welcome and Listen In!

Missing Renny, Visiting Uncle Carlo

Here is a photo from that magic evening before Renny left for college.  We were so happy that evening -- he was soft, supple.  He did his dressage routine so thoughtfully.  He gave transitions sweetly.  And then he was such a good boy about traveling to school. I am so proud of him.  And now, during the two months that he's been gone, our family has received bad news.  Uncle Carlo has been sick for awhile now and was hospitalized several months ago for surgery.  He has Cushing's related cancer and over the past few months, it's become clear that they're not going to be able to help him.  So, I'm writing this entry on Monday, Octoer 24th, and we spent the past weekend with him at the University of Michigan Hospital.  He will be going home soon for hospice care.  He's one of the kindest, truest, most gentle, best family man I know.

Laura Loves Lessons! Episode 4

Laura Loves Lessons! Episode 4

Welcome to Laura Loves Lessons, a video cast about special clinics, lessons or riding moments, I've had.  In today's episode, Laura looks ragged and rough because she's just come back from Renny's second dressage lesson with Janet Harms in which her wonderful sport pony gave flying lead changes in both directions and rode his first scored dressage test!  Listen in!